Yes, after some head scratching I found the coordinates and nav files.

:haha:,:hmmm: and:D

Yes - automation starts when boat is just off the harbour of Cuxhaven.

There will be no crashing into land with this one:O:


With the message box, I can pop up instructions ie- click travel mode etc.
This will prevent TC drop due to shallow water and so one.
Also when passing an area where shipping may be met, I can flash up warnings where you can adjust speed to avoid traffic.

do I need to include a parameter in the Navigate_from_file's reading of the navigation file that specifies whether travel mode needs to be engaged or not? This can be done automatically.

I'm curious as to how you are flashing up warnings during the navigation from file? I didn't code that into the command. It's a great idea though that I can add :yep:

As of now you've given me 2 great ideas to add to the Navigate_from_file command: automatic enabling/disabling travel mode and giving a message with each waypoint.

Anything else that you see would be fitting to add? :hmmm:

EDIT:

just checked in game and travel mode isn't a command - it's hard coded somewhere in the .exe file :nope: So can't do automatic travel mode :damn:

I did add code for messages though :D

Ok thanks TDW, I had spent most of last night jotting down all the info I need to write the automations and just assumed that I could use "print message". So thanks for adding that.

Travel mode being manually clickable should be ok.

Yes please- if you could add to the TC para ie- 9999 like in the advanced knuckles the user can adjust thier own TC rate and then each waypoint will retain that info.

Also a quick question if I may-
When u-boat reaches waypoint, this is triggered by the bow. When navigator call a coordinate, is this from the bow or from centre of boat?
If this is from centre of boat I may need to re-do some of the trickier maneuvers.

I am at work at the mo and am unable to test. Last night after hours of recording coordinates, I ran out of coffee come testing time:DL

I believe from my findings that the navigator calls out the coordinates from the center of the uboat. If you look on the maps when you enable center on sub you'll see that the sub is centered on it's center in the graphic. The only reason you see that the uboat appears to trigger the waypoint from the bow is that I set a distance from waypoint that the sub has to switch to the next waypoint. That distance is <=50m.

Good point about keeping the TC level. I'll add necessary code for this.

Should I include some kind of header where the user can define a name for this navigation file and some info on it and have it displayed in the messagebox when it's 'played'?

Ah ok thanks - When recording the kiel script I did have this in the back of my mind and did make allowances if this was the case so it should still be ok.

:up:Thanks

Sorry im not sure what you mean here:

Something like "Kiel Canal blah blah blah" and that remains in message window during whole script?

boy I really botched the Navigate_from_file command. I gave no way to specify use current TC level, speed, or depth. That has been fixed :up:

What I mean by header is something like the Description part for Automation scripts. Except this would be for Navigation 'scripts'. When the user selects a certain navigation script I could have the code display the text defined in the file for that navigation script. For example you made a navigation script to navigate Kiel canal. There could be a description part that when the user activates this script via automation it displays this description. You could have the description read: Navigate Kiel canal. This would be displayed in the messagebox each time the navigation script is started.

Yes please that would be good. The description when selecting scripts from nav file wouls enable me to instruct users that ie:-

Kiel Canal Inbound - this script must be started within a 20km radius of Cuxhaven Harbour.

or

Bergen Harbour Pilot - This scrip will pilot your boat out of the harbour and through the fjord to open sea. If you want to stop at any time press pause or stop.

got another idea for the Navigate_from_file command. I can add a precondition header that you can use to specify the precondition. The precondition would specify the radius from a given waypoint that you have to be in in order for the script to activate.

Great idea, this will for sure rule out any errors at start of some nav scripts.

Also would it somehow be possible say-

I am passing heavy traffic at kiel Canal and unless I adjust course I will hit a ship. User can right full rudder manually(script pauses) until ship has passed and then click return to course (script restarts).

Most collisions can be easily avoided by going with very low speed.

I noticed that even vessels that were previously stuck (for example merchants burning in the middle of Kiel gates) suddenly revive and merrily move out of your way as soon as you come close enough (a few hundred meters). Of course for a burning merchant this may be a slow process, so if your speed is too great, you will still crash with it. However I found that Slow bell speed always gives the other vessels in very narrow places time to move out, and in places with no stuck vessels 2 bell speed (or just my 7.5 knots cruise speed) is low enough to avoid collisions without additional maneuvers.

Thanks AvM:up: this is really useful information.

There are only 2 areas (waypoint stages) where this slower speed would be required during the transit of Kiel Canal. I will ensure low bells passing these areas.

all changes made to Automation for the additions mentioned above. I'll be releasing patch 2 here very soon for these changes :DL

Thanks TDW:yeah:

not implemented in patch 2 but if need be I can look into it and see what I can come up with. Patch 2 was released in my UIs thread.

Fantastic work TDW:rock:

Just finished a test leaving Bremen harbour. Everything worked as it should.:up:

There was one small issue - as boat approaches waypoint there are small adjustments to heading:-

These are printed in messege box. This is ok.
Each adjustment is also spoken. This could be annoying as there can be about 5 to 10 adjustment for each waypoint.

Would there be a way to reduce this or prevent the spoken adjustment.